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RA New Hire Training & Resources

Information about the Research Administration Training Program.

RA New Hire Training & Resources

Welcome to Research Administration Training. We help you acquire the skills and knowledge necessary for your job success as well as provide research administration professional development opportunities to complement the training provided by your department. Offerings include knowledge and skills-based training for research administrators, fund managers, and others who support sponsored research and include onboarding for new hires, a multi-level professional development program, and targeted skills training on the tools and systems used.

Be sure to visit the Role-Based Training Center to learn more about the Learning Road Map and other training opportunities and to access the Training Calendar.

Onboarding Packet

Download:

Download the New Hire Onboarding Packet (pdf)

Download the RA Responsibilities Checklist (pdf)

Summary: 

This packet was designed as a tool for new hires and supervisors to ensure RAs get set up for success.

Target Audience:

New RAs (either to the job or the university) who have been in research administration for less than one year.

Topics Include:

  • General Role & Responsibilities
  • Equipment List
  • Recommended Access Provisioning for Systems & Data
  • Recommended Registrations for Training & Mentorship
  • Recommended Resources to be Bookmarked
  • Key Dates & Deadlines to Mark on Calendar
  • Recommended Listservs to Subscribe To
  • Recommended Community of Practices (CoPs)
  • Recommended Office Hours

Training Manual

Download:

Download the Research Administration Training Manual (pdf)

Summary: 

This manual was created to provide a comprehensive reference on sponsored research topics at UC San Diego.

Target Audience:

New RAs (either to the job or the university) who have been in research administration for less than one year.

Topics Include:

  • Introduction
  • The Role of the Research Administrator
  • Research Administration Checklists
  • Pre-Award
  • Information on Central & Partner Offices
  • Sponsor Types and Submission Methods
  • Agreement Types and Funding Opportunities
  • Proposal Package Basics
  • Information on Proposal Personnel
  • Budget Basics
  • Research Compliance & Integrity
  • Post-Submission and Just-in-Time (JIT)
  • Award Negotiation, Acceptance, and Set Up
  • Post-Award
  • Award Closeout
  • Business Intelligence
  • Career Development
  • Get Help

Useful Checklists

Download:

Download the New Award Checklist (pdf)

Download the RA Onboarding for New Faculty Checklist (pdf)

Download the RA Taking Over a New Portfolio Checklist (pdf)

Download the Closeout Checklist (pdf)

Summary: 

These checklists were created as helpful reminders and guides for various common RA tasks.

Target Audience:

New RAs (either to the job or the university) who have been in research administration for less than one year.

Glossary of Terms and Topics

Glossary

Couldn't find something or want to request changes? Email researchadmin@ucsd.edu with your ideas.

Term Definition Category
Academic months 9-month appointment. A person with a 9-month appointment will also have a 3-month summer appointment if they do research over the summer. People on the Proposal: Effort
ASSIST Application Submission System & Interface for Submission Tracking system used to prepare and submit grant applications electronically to NIH and other Public Health Service agencies. ASSIST supports all NIH competing applications, including single-project applications (e.g., R01) and multi-project applications (e.g., P01). Systems: External
Award Contract/grant/Notice of Award (NOA) from the sponsoring entity that documents the terms and conditions, money and period of performance for a sponsored project. Award
BAA Business Associate Agreement Unfunded Agreements
Basic research Research which is directed toward increase of knowledge in science wherein the primary aim of the investigator is fuller knowledge or understanding of the subject under study, rather than a clear or direct practical application thereof. Activity Type
Basic research (Marine Physical Lab) Basic research conducted by Scripps Institution of Oceanography ship and ship technician use. Activity Type
Biosketch A résumé for each key personnel named on the proposal. Typically includes information about their background, education, academic achievements, awards, grants received, professional interests, research capabilities and publications. Proposal Development
Blink An online source of information, training and tools for UC San Diego faculty and staff. Blink's primary focus is to provide information on business processes, but more personal items, from benefits and child care to recreation and events are also highlighted. Systems: Internal
Budget A reasonable estimate of expenses necessary to conduct the project. This is typically accompanied by a budget justification. Proposal Development
Calendar months 12-month appointment. People on the Proposal: Effort
CDA Confidential Disclosure Agreement. An agreement to cover conversations that contain confidential and/or proprietary information from one or both parties and the terms control the disclosure, receipt and use of the confidential or proprietary information. Unfunded Agreements
CGO Contracts and Grants Officer; a person who works in one of the Sponsored Projects Offices on campus. It is the same as Sponsored Projects Officer (SPO). People Who Assist with the Proposal: SPOs
Clinical research Research involving human subjects and/or materials and/or information collected from human subjects. This also includes the controlled clinical testing in human subjects of investigational new drugs, devices, treatment, diagnostics, or comparisons of approved drugs, devices, treatments or diagnostics to assess their safety, efficacy, benefits, costs, adverse reactions and/or outcomes. Such studies may be conducted under an industry-developed protocol or an investigator-developed protocol.

Industry-initiated and funded clinical trials are handled by OCTA whereas PI-initiated clinical trials are handled by the Sponsored Projects Office (SPO). For more detailed information regarding clinical trials, please visit PI-Initiated vs. Industry-Initiated Clinical Trials on Blink.
Activity Type
Co-I Co-Investigator. This is other faculty funded to provide research activities; may be from other departments. People on the Proposal
Compliance Proof of compliance with applicable policies, research standards, accreditation standards and external regulations. This includes human subjects, animal welfare, bio-safety, conflict of interest (COI) and audits. Proposal Development
Continuation A non-competitive proposal for the next funding increment of a current project usually submitted annually, if required by the agency Proposal Type
Contract An agreement with terms. Research Agreement Award Types: Funded
Cooperative Agreement Similar to a grant, but the sponsor’s staff may be actively involved in the design and conduct of the research activities.  Research Agreement Award Types: Funded
Co-PI Co-Principal Investigator. Senior Key Personnel who is the secondary lead on a proposal. For NIH proposals, use Multi-PI instead. People on the Proposal
Cover Sheet The first page of the package that includes details such as the title of the project, name of sponsor, name of PI, name of applicant organization, etc. Proposal Development
Current and Pending and/or Other Support document This document lists the PI’s current and pending grants. It shows the sponsor a PI’s effort in each grant and whether any of their current research overlaps with the proposed project. Proposal Development
Curriculum Vitae (C.V.) A résumé for each key personnel named on the proposal. Typically includes information about their background, education, academic achievements, awards, grants received, professional interests, research capabilities and publications. Proposal Development
DC Direct Costs. These are all the costs that can be charged directly to the contract or grant. Budget and Budget Terms
DOD Department of Defense Sponsors/Agencies
DOE Department of Energy Sponsors/Agencies
DUA Data Use Agreement Unfunded Agreements
Effort All university work performed by an employee over a defined period of time. This includes research, teaching, service, clinical work and administrative duties. A person cannot have greater than 100% effort. An employee may commit 0-5% to a project without salary without it being considered and tracked as cost-share. People on the Proposal
eRA Commons eRA is the electronic Research Administration. It was developed and is managed by NIH’s Office of Extramural Research under the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. They provide information and resources to help applicants and grantees navigate eRA systems during the grants lifecycle, as well as help reviewers during the application review process. Systems: External
F&A Facilities and Administration costs. This is also referred to as “overhead” or IDC. These costs are not specifically identifiable for any one specific project. This is calculated depending on the applicable indirect cost base, such as MTDC, TDC, or TC. This must be within the awarded amount. Budget and Budget Terms
FastLane FastLane is the National Science Foundation's (NSF) online website through which they conduct their relationship to researchers and potential researchers, reviewers, research administrators and their organizations. FastLane is for official NSF use only. Systems: External
FedConnect FedConnect is an online marketplace where federal agencies post opportunities and create awards via the web. Any vendor can view public postings without registering.  Systems: External
Federal Contract A mechanism used for the procurement of a product or service contract with the primary benefit to the sponsor.  A contract contains specific obligations on the part of both the sponsor and the university, including specific deliverable or milestones.  Research Agreement Award Types: Funded
Fellowship An agreement which is: (a) merit based (in response to a competitive application); (b) awarded to a specific individual; (c) mentored; and (d) intended to enhance an individual’s potential to develop into an independent researcher/scholar. Research Agreement Award Types: Funded
FOA Funding Opportunity Announcement Funding Opportunities and Solicitations
Gift A contribution that is donative in intent, given voluntarily and without expectation of consideration. Research Agreement Award Types: Funded
Government sponsor This includes federal, state and local government agencies. Sponsors/Agencies
Graduate student researcher (GSR) A registered UC San Diego graduate student who performs research under the direction of a faculty member; The research may or may not correspond to the student’s thesis research; Polices managed by the Graduate Division. People on the Proposal
Grant A form of financial assistance awarded to conduct research or other programs that is specified in an approved proposal or statement of work.  Research Agreement Award Types: Funded
Grants.gov Grants.gov is an E-Government initiative operating under the governance of the Office of Management and Budget. Under the President's Management Agenda, the office was chartered to deliver a system that provides a centralized location for grant seekers to find and apply for federal funding opportunities. Systems: External
IDC Indirect Costs. This is also referred to as “overhead” or F&A. These costs are not specifically identifiable for any one specific project. This is calculated depending on the applicable indirect cost base, such as MTDC, TDC, or TC. This must be within the total costs of the awarded amount. Budget and Budget Terms
IDC Exception Indirect Costs Exception. This must be obtained from UCOP or the UCSD Chancellor's authorized delegate when the project does not use the standard applicable IDC rate. Budget and Budget Terms
IDC Waiver Indirect Costs Waiver. This is used when not using the standard negotiated Federal IDC rate. Always make sure that you are using the current rate as it changes every year. Budget and Budget Terms
Instruction and training Projects that involve the scholarly, professional, or occupational instruction for matriculated students or University employees in forms such as classes, seminars, workshops, conferences, etc. This also includes agency sponsorship of students or employees who are "in training" primarily, but not exclusively, at the graduate and postgraduate levels.  Activity Type
Intergovernmental personnel agreement An Intergovernmental Personnel Act agreement (IPA) is an agreement with a U.S. Federal Government agency which allows the temporary assignment of university faculty into roles at those agencies. Activity Type
Internal Deadline This is when the proposal is due to the UCSD SPO for review. There is no official submit-by date. Note: when creating a KR proposal, an internal deadline is required. Deadlines
Kuali Research Kuali Research (KR) is a contracts and grants software platform that is designed for use throughout the project’s lifecycle. KR replaced the previous contract and grant system to fully support the research administration needs by redesigning business processes to streamline and develop institutional best practices. Within Kuali, there are other modules including Conflict of Interest (COI), Award, and Subawards. Systems: Internal
MOU Memorandum of Understanding. An agreement between two or more parties that functions as a more formal alternative to a verbal or “handshake” agreement. Unfunded Agreements
MTA Material Transfer Agreement. A legal contract that establishes terms, conditions and a record of a transfer of tangible research materials between the owner and a recipient for research purposes. Required for material coming into and going out of UCSD. Unfunded Agreements
MTDC Modified Total Direct Costs. The indirect cost base to which UCSD's federally-negotiated IDC/F&A rates are applied. Includes: direct salaries, wages, applicable fringe benefits, materials and supplies, services, travel and the first $25,000 of each subaward. Excludes: equipment, capital expenditures, tuition remission, rental costs, scholarships, fellowships, patient care costs, amount of each subaward over $25,000. Budget and Budget Terms
Multi-PI (NIH) This is the same as a Co-PI and is only used on NIH proposals. There is no option for this in Kuali. To name a Multi-PI, select “key personnel” and then add “multi-PI” in the description section. People on the Proposal
NDA Non-disclosure Agreement. An agreement to cover conversations that contain confidential and/or proprietary information from one or both parties and the terms control the disclosure, receipt and use of the confidential or proprietary information. Unfunded Agreements
New A competitive proposal for support of a project that is being submitted for funding the first time. Proposal Type
NIH National Institutes of Health Sponsors/Agencies
NOF(O) Notice of Funding (Opportunity). It includes a description of the project and the entities that are eligible to apply for the funding. Funding Opportunities and Solicitations
Non-federal sponsor This includes nonprofit organizations, industry (for-profit), institutions of higher learning, foreign agencies, and other UC Campuses Sponsors/Agencies
NSF National Science Foundation Sponsors/Agencies
NSF PAPPG National Science Foundation Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide. The policies that govern NSF proposals and awards.
Policies and Regulations
SPO Sponsored Projects Office (SPO) People Who Assist with the Proposal: SPOs
OCTA Office of Clinical Trials (OCTA). People Who Assist with the Proposal: SPOs
OnBase OnBase is used to route a PI Exception (PIE). Systems: Internal
Oracle UCSD’s eProcurement site that replaced Marketplace. Systems: Internal
Other sponsored activities To be used only if a research project cannot be classified as basic, applied, developmental, or clinical research. Activity Type
PA Program Announcement for a funding opportunity. Funding Opportunities and Solicitations
PAMS Proposal Analysis and Management System is an award management site for grants, cooperative agreements, and interagency awards funded by the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science. Systems: External
Personnel Agreement A payment mechanism to maintain the employment status and pay of a UCSD employee who is working on a project on behalf of another institution or agency. Research Agreement Award Types: Funded
PI Principal Investigator. The lead researcher will personally direct the research effort or project and/or will personally oversee the program. There is only one “lead” or “contact” PI on a proposal. People on the Proposal
PI Certification This provides the assurances necessary to acknowledge federal, state and UC-required institutional obligations to our sponsors on behalf of the PI.  The lead PI must certify the proposal; Co-PI’s, Multi-PIs, and Co-Is do not certify the Kuali record. People on the Proposal
PI Eligibility The ability to serve as a Principal Investigator. Eligibility is determined by one’s job code. PIs are automatically eligible, conditionally eligible, or not automatically eligible (and require a PIE). People on the Proposal
PI Exception (PIE) If a PI is conditionally eligible, a PI Exception (PIE) is needed for each project. People on the Proposal
PON Program Opportunity Notice. A notice of a funding opportunity. Funding Opportunities and Solicitations
Post-award: (OPAFS) The Office of Post Award and Financial Services (OPAFS) supports financial management, cost accounting and control and accountability. Services include:
  • Financial reporting
  • Accounts receivable and cash management
  • Effort reporting
  • Review and approval of payroll or expense transfers
  • Cost share monitoring and reporting
Post-award
Postdoc Postdoctoral scholar. Someone who is continuing their training following a doctoral degree, e.g., M.D., Ph.D., Phar.D. They may work on multiple projects. They are managed by the Office of Postdoctoral and Visiting Scholar Affairs. People on the Proposal
Prime Sponsor The entity that funds the research; the originating source of the project funding. Example: The NSF funds Stanford University who then gives a subaward to UCSD. In this case, the Prime Sponsor is the NSF and the Sponsor is Stanford University. Sponsors/Agencies
Proposal A formal request for financial support from a specific sponsor for a research, instructional, or public service project. It identifies a need or a problem and offers a persuasive plan to resolve it. Proposal Development
Proposal Central An e-grant making website shared by many government, non-profit, and private grant-making organizations. Systems: External
Proposal Narrative This explains the science of the project. It is a concise explanation of a research or training plan which has specific or reasonable goals. This is written by the PI. Depending on the sponsor and type of proposal, it can also be called a summary or a technical abstract. Proposal Development
Renewal A proposal to renew an expiring project, which will be reviewed competitively with other proposals and for which funding is not assured. Proposal Type
Resubmission A competitive proposal that was previously submitted but was not funded and is being amended for resubmission. Proposal Type
Revision A proposal application that proposes a change in the Federal Government's financial obligations or contingent liability from an existing obligation/award (e.g., NIH requires that requests for supplements to their grant awards be submitted using the proposal type of “Revision”). A Revision in this context is always a change to an existing award. Proposal Type
RFA Request for Applications. A notice of announcement for project funding. Funding Opportunities and Solicitations
RFP Request for Proposal. A notice of announcement for project funding. Funding Opportunities and Solicitations
S2S opportunities A System-to-System (S2S) opportunity is a proposal in Kuali Research that facilitates submission of federal proposals created in Proposal Development directly to the Grants.gov online system. Systems: Internal
Service Agreement

A contract in which one entity pays another to perform a service. Service agreements can be incoming or outgoing.

For general campus incoming service agreements, please contact the Ancillary Research Agreements team.

For Health Sciences incoming research agreements, please visit VCHS Service Agreements.

For outgoing service agreements, please visit Oracle Procurement.

Research Agreement Award Types: Funded
Service Now (SNOW) The IT software platform used for the UCSD Service Desk. Systems: Internal
SLA Software Licensing Agreement. An agreement allowing an outside party to provide the use of software for research purposes, providing both parties mutual benefit from the use of software.  Unfunded Agreements
SPO Sponsored Projects Office  People Who Assist with the Proposal: SPOs
Sponsor The agency that issues the award or funding agreement to UCSD. The sponsor may fund the research and/or be a pass-through entity. Sponsors/Agencies
Sponsor Deadline This is an external deadline and is when the proposal needs to be received by the sponsor. Pay attention to time and time zone requirements provided by the sponsor guidelines. It is typically a “hard deadline”. Deadlines
Subaward An agreement that transfers a portion of the research and effort of a prime award to another institution. Research Agreement Award Types: Funded
Summary This explains the science of the project. It is a concise explanation of a research or training plan which has specific or reasonable goals. This is written by the PI. Depending on the sponsor and type of proposal, it can also be called a proposal narrative or a technical abstract. Proposal Development
Summer Months For people with an academic-month appointment, they would have a 3-month summer appointment if they work on a grant during the summer. People on the Proposal: Effort
TDC Total Direct Costs. Includes all direct costs without exclusions. Budget and Budget Terms
Technical Abstract This explains the science of the project. It is a concise explanation of a research or training plan which has specific or reasonable goals. This is written by the PI. Technical abstracts are used for Department of Defense (DoD) proposals. Proposal Development
Title Page The first page of the package includes details such as the title of the project, name of sponsor, name of PI, name of the applicant organization, etc. Proposal Development
UCOP Contract and Grant Manual The University of California Office of the President (UCOP) Contract and Grant Manual provides guidance on policies for the solicitation, acceptance or execution, and administration of awards from extramural sponsors.
Policies and Regulations
UCPath UCPath is the new UC system-wide human resources and payroll system that replaced PPS. UCPath unifies and standardizes payroll, benefits, and human resources for all UC employees. Systems: Internal
UCPath Training https://ucpath.ucsd.edu/training/training-hub.html Post-award
UCPath Vocabulary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_V72eyTnZE&feature=youtu.be Post-award
UCSD Sponsored Research Main information page for Research at UCSD. People Who Assist with the Proposal: SPOs
Uniform Guidance (UG) UG is a collection of regulations that govern federal sponsors. This is a set of authoritative rules and regulations about federal grants from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This “guidance” is designed to keep everyone in the federal grants community—Congress, grant-making agencies, and applicants—on the same page. More information can be found at www.Grants.gov.
Policies and Regulations
Visiting Graduate Student (VGS) A Graduate Student Researcher is a registered UC San Diego graduate student who performs research under the direction of a faculty member; The research may or may not correspond to the student’s thesis research; Polices managed by the Graduate Division People on the Proposal
Visiting Scholar A scholar from another university, research institution, government agency or non-profit organization on leave from his/her home institution who visits the University for the purposes of participating in a University-sponsored educational program, cooperative agreement, or collaborative research project under the supervision of a UC San Diego faculty, for a short period of time. People on the Proposal
xTRAIN xTrain is an electronic Research Administration (eRA) Commons module that allows program directors/principal investigators, university administrators, and trainees to electronically prepare and submit PHS 2271 Statement of Appointment Forms and PHS 416-7 Termination Notices associated with institutional research training grants, institutional career development awards, individual fellowships, and research education awards. Agency staff also use xTrain to review and process the appointments and termination notices that are submitted electronically. Systems: External

Orientation for New Hires (eCourse)

Launch:

Launch Level 0: Research Administration Orientation for New Hires (45 Minutes)

Offering Schedule: 

On-Demand, Self-Paced eCourse in UC Learning

Summary: 

In this online self-paced new hire orientation, you will gain a basic understanding of the organizational structure of the UC system and UC San Diego, and what working within sponsored research at a large public university entails. You will identify how your role contributes to your team, department, division, and the overall mission of UC San Diego. You will also define vernacular and identify tools unique to the UC San Diego Sponsored Projects Life Cycle.

Target Audience:

New RAs (either to the job or the university) who have been in research administration for less than one year.

Topics Include:

  • Introduction to the UC System and UC San Diego
  • Sponsored Project Lifecycle and Management
  • About the Sponsored Research Life Cycle
  • About Central & Partner Offices
  • Overview of Roles and Responsibilities
  • About Sponsor Types
  • About Agreement Types
  • The Anatomy of a Proposal Package
  • Using Various Systems, Tools, and Resources

Bootcamp for New Hires (Instructor Led)

Register:

Register Research Administration Bootcamp (Virtual Instructor-Led)

Summary:

This is a four (4) day instructor-led Course (Zoom) designed to be an onboarding for brand-new fund managers. You will learn about various stages of the Sponsored Project lifecycle. Prerequisite: We highly recommend taking Level 0: Research Administration Orientation for New Hires before attending Bootcamp. This self-paced training introduces you to the University of California System, UC San Diego, your role as a researcher within that landscape, and common vocabulary and tools you will encounter in the RA Training Bootcamp classes.

Training Schedule:

Name Start Date End date Register
Research Administration Bootcamp: November 2024 11/18/2024 9:00 AM PDT 11/21/2024 3:00 PM PDT Register
Research Administration Bootcamp: January 2025 1/13/2025 9:00 AM PDT 1/16/2025 3:00 PM PDT Register
Research Administration Bootcamp: February 2025 2/10/2025 9:00 AM PDT 2/13/2025 3:00 PM PDT Register
Research Administration Bootcamp: March 2025 3/10/2025 9:00 AM PDT 3/13/2025 3:00 PM PDT Register
Research Administration Bootcamp: April 2025 4/7/2025 9:00 AM PDT 4/10/2025 3:00 PM PDT Register
Research Administration Bootcamp: May 2025 5/12/2025 9:00 AM PDT 5/15/2025 3:00 PM PDT Register
Research Administration Bootcamp: June 2025 6/9/2025 9:00 AM PDT 6/12/2025 3:00 PM PDT Register

Mentorship Program

Request:

Send an email to researchadmin@ucsd.edu to express interest in the mentorship program

Summary:

Mentors support personal and professional growth by setting goals, providing feedback, and sharing knowledge. They create productive workplaces, demonstrate employer value, offer specific guidance, boost confidence, and provide crucial encouragement, helping individuals navigate challenges and achieve success in their careers. The RA Mentoring Program will provide support for all new research administrators who successfully completed the Research Administration Training Bootcamp. Mentees will be matched with a mentor in a department that has similar business processes to their home department.

 

Additional Trainings

How to Read a Solicitation

Throughout this instructor lead training, participants will become proficient in identifying different types of solicitations, including government, nonprofit, and for-profit. They will learn to interpret key information within solicitations, addressing essential questions such as who, what, where, when, why, and how. Through practical exercises, participants will test their knowledge by reviewing real-world solicitations, ensuring they are equipped to navigate and engage with solicitations confidently. Join us as we explore the intricacies of solicitations and empower you to succeed in your endeavors.

Training Schedule:
Name Date Time Register
Research Administration: How to Read a Solicitation 10/29/2024 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Register
Research Administration: How to Read a Solicitation 11/6/24 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Register
Research Administration: How to Read a Solicitation 12/4/24 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Register

Budget Basics

Training on direct and indirect costs in proposal budgeting, as outlined by Uniform Guidance. In this course, participants will learn to distinguish between these cost types, equipping them to create accurate proposal budgets. Whether you're new to budgeting or seeking to refine your skills, join us to gain the essential knowledge for effective budget development in grant proposals.

Training Schedule:
Name Date Time Register
Research Administration: Budget Basics 10/2/2024 9:00 AM -11:00 AM Register
Research Administration: Budget Basics 11/5/24 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Register
Research Administration: Budget Basics 12/3/24 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Register

For more information or questions email researchadmin@ucsd.edu.